During the summer of 2023, the Philadelphia 76ers found themselves in another unwanted predicament. Not long removed from the Ben Simmons saga, James Harden was the latest All-Star to publicly demand a trade.

When James Harden requested a trade out of Philadelphia after his tiff with Morey over his contract, the 76ers sought an exit strategy and their next pivot. Morey began trade talks on a Harden deal with the LA Clippers by asking for George;

It was definitely risky, yeah, but it was also the best plan,” Morey said. “A risky plan doesn’t mean it’s a bad plan. It just could be the best plan. It was definitely the best plan.”

In an annual survey of NBA general managers conducted by John Schuhmann of the league website, the Philadelphia 76ers'  offseason — namely the signing of All-Star forward Paul George — was widely praised.